Indian and Indonesian NSAs to lead Ulema meetings eyeing deradicalisation

Eyeing to address issue of extremism and growing radicalisation India and Indonesia led by their respective National Security Advisers will led a meeting of Ulemas from both countries here on Tuesday that would lead to sharing of best practices and create a template for deradicalisation.

Dr Mohammed Mahfud Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs of Indonesia and also counterpart of NSA Ajit Doval will be accompanied by a high-level delegation of Ulema for first such meeting with their Indian counterparts, highly placed sources said.

On Tuesday the visiting Ulemas from Indonesia will be interacting with their Indian counterparts on variety of themes encompassing relogio-cultural issues. Discussion will be on 'Role of Ulema in fostering a culture of interfaith peace and social harmony in India and Indonesia'.


"Ulemas play a very important role and the objective of such discussion is to bring together Indian and Indonesian Ulema and scholars who can take forward the cooperation to promote tolerance, harmony and peaceful co-existence and counter violent extremism and radicalization," sources said, adding top Ulemas and religious figures from other religions will also be present on the occasion.

There will be three sessions that Ulemas will address -Islam: Continuity and Change, second on Harmonizing inter-faith society: Practice and Experience and last session will be on Countering Radicalization and Eextremism in India and Indonesia. The two NSAs will be inaugurating the day long dialogue.

Indonesia has world's largest Muslim population. NSA Doval had visited Indonesia for the second Indo- Indonesia security dialogue in March this year. NSA then invited minister Mahfud to visit India.

Besides this dialogue two NSAs will also hold structured dialogue on maritime security, maritime sector cooperation, security and growing defence partnership. Indonesia has also been keen to purchase BrahMos missiles from India. Both are coordinating to stabilise Indo Pacific region.